Comitatus

Comitatus JS TRO3057r.png
Comitatus
Production information
Manufacturer unknown (Clans)
Use JumpShip
Fighter carrier
Tech Base Clan
Cost ?
Introduced 2995 (original version)
3002 (downgraded freighter)
3036 (final fighter carrier version)
Technical specifications
Mass 250,000 tons
Length 680 meters
Sail Diameter 1150 meters
Fuel 460 tons (1,150)
Burn Rate 39.52
Top Thrust 0.1 g
Sail Integrity 4
KF Drive Integrity 5
LF Battery None
Armament
Armor 119.5 tons (Improved Ferro-Aluminum Armor)
DropShip Capacity 1
Crew 45[1]
  • 8 Officers
  • 27 Enlisted
  • 10 Gunners

Bay Personnel: 95

Grav Decks 1 x 95 meters diameter
Escape Pods/Life Boats 0/4
Heat Sinks 122 double (244)
Structural Integrity 1
BV (1.0) 6,384[1][2]
BV (2.0) ???

Description[edit]

The Comitatus-class fighter carrier JumpShip was devised by Clan Jade Falcon pilot Vishnu Folkner in 3035 by modifying a flawed Clan Snow Raven design for an armed freighter originally conceived in 2995.[3][1][4] He suggested turning the cargo freighter into a fighter carrier that could defend jump points in the fashion of a light WarShip. This concept of a mobile firebase proved very successful, and became the new standard configuration for the Comitatus. Within ten years, the majority of all existing older Comitatus class vessels were converted over to the new specifications.[1][3]

Armament[edit]

The Comitatus blurs the distinction between a civilian JumpShip and a WarShip. Although it technically falls into the former category, it outguns some corvettes or smaller destroyers, and its ferro-aluminum armor is exceptionally heavy for a JumpShip. As a designated fighter carrier it is equipped with 20 fighter bays holding two Stars of OmniFighters, and five assault shuttles in a separate shuttle bay.[1][3]

Cargo[edit]

The Comitatus design can carry 778.5 tons of cargo.[1] It can accommodate twenty aerospace fighters and 5 small craft (or 25 fighters), and a Star of battle-armored Elementals.[1][3]

The design change created very cramped conditions for the crew and pilots, not enough to carry a full complement of technical support personnel. This in turn limits the ability of a Comitatus to keep its fighter complement in good repair.[1][3]

Variants[edit]

There is no known variant of the Comitatus class since its conversion to a fighter carrier was finalized. However, some of the earlier Comitatus incarnations with either four hardpoints, or two hardpoints and increased cargo capacity, might still exist:

The original 2995 "4 Hardpoint"[4] concept was a heavily armed and armored trader with four docking hardpoints for DropShips, though the aft two hardpoints suffered from a seriously flawed hydraulics system, which led to the first modifications to the class.[1][3]

A stopgap "Cargo" solution implemented from 3002 on[5] was to remove the two aft hardpoints entirely and replace them with cargo space.[1][3]

Named Vessels[edit]

(See Category:Individual Comitatus-class JumpShips)

Gallery[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Technical Readout: 3057 Revised, pp. 114-115, "Comitatus"
  2. AeroTech 2 Record Sheets, p. 272
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Technical Readout: 3057, pp. 114-115, "Comitatus"
  4. 4.0 4.1 https://masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/3974/comitatus-jumpship-4hp MUL entry for "Comitatus JumpShip (4HP)"
  5. https://masterunitlist.info/Unit/Details/3975/comitatus-jumpship-cargo MUL entry for "Comitatus JumpShip (Cargo)"

Bibliography[edit]